Cooking at Chateau Mango... #padthai

Pad Thai...served last night at Chateau Mango

I posted this photo of our dinner on Instagram last night and had a request for the recipe. Steve
@ An Urban Cottage in Boston mentioned he was under the weather and buying the very same at a local takeaway shop. I think fresh is best and mentioned I would be happy to send along the recipe. Just love that about Instagram..making connections all over the world!



I want to tell you that it is my secret recipe and that I cooked it myself...but I can't . The lovely Huyen, my right hand girl around Chateau Mango cooked it for us and the recipe is from Bill's Everyday Asian cookbook...but...I suggested the recipe. Does that count?

Either way, it is delicious. The noodles are light and twirl around your chopsticks (or fork) with celebrated ease. If you regularly eat Pad Thai you will know that this is not always the case. I love tofu and this is made with lightly fried tofu. You could do the same with chicken quite easily. My son likes extra peanuts...hence the plethora of peanuts. If you have a nut allergy, skip them all together. On the side...fresh lime slices, cucumbers, chilli (for an extra kick) and fish sauce.

We ate this as a meal and I had enough left over for my son's lunch box. He had two huge servings for dinner so the recipe is plentiful if you care to double it as we did.  Bill's Everyday Asian cookbook is definitely a keeper, I have nearly all his cookbooks and have never been disappointed. Those Aussies, they are so talented!  :)

via Culinaria Libris

Pad Thai

Serves 2 as a main meal

200g or 8 oz. medium-width flat dried rice noodles 

4 tablespoons light-flavoured oil 

(Huyen used Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

200g or 8 oz firm tofu, cut into 1.5 cm dice 

3 garlic cloves, crushed with the flat of a knife

1 red onion, sliced

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon caster sugar (fine grain)

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons lime juice (fresh)

4 spring onions, very finely sliced

100g or 4 oz.bean sprouts

4 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes 

2 limes, cut into wedges

1 small cucumber, cut into chunks

Bill says... "Make sure the wok is as hot as you can 

get it to avoid ending up with a steamed, sludgy heap."

Soak the noodles in hot water for 5 minutes to soften, drain well. Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Stir-fry the tofu for 2-3 minutes until browned all over. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and remove from the wok.

Add the remaining oil and stir-fry the garlic and red onion for 30 seconds or until the garlic is golden. Remove from the wok. Pour in the beaten eggs and season to taste. Cook, stirring once or twice, for 30 seconds. Add the drained noodles and toss to mix. Add the sugar, fish sauce and lime juice and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Return the garlic and onion to the pan, add the spring onion and bean sprouts. Return the tofu to the wok and toss to heat through. 

Transfer to a serving platter, dress with the roasted peanuts and chilli flakes and serve with the lime wedges and cucumber.

This recipe and more delicious recipes can be found in  Bill's Everyday Asian cookbook by Bill Granger. 

If you are interested in Vietnamese/Asian cookbooks,

 check out Jeanne's Kitchen Essentials list. 

Huyen and I highly recommend them! :)

Chateau Mango...taking shape.

A reminder about the  

Bowerbird Friends Linky Party, 

hope to see you there!

I highly recommend stopping in at An Urban Cottage 

Steve is renovating an 1842 Greek Revival cottage.

It is a renovator's dream come true. 

I took a fabulous Vietnamese Cooking class this morning.

Lot's more recipes to share.

If you are interested, let me know!